Residents of Fairfield that live within the FCSD have a vote coming up in November that will see a $38.51 million general obligation bond on the ballot.

Citing a brochure provided from the FCSD, they are seeking this money to construct a new Middle School building. The current middle school, they state, is in “disrepair” and requires “urgent attention.”

The most pressing needs for the middle school were identified through a facility assessment. The district is currently facing a hefty maintenance bill of around $1 million per year. To renovate the existing building would cost of 40 million. The building was constructed too low on the site, leading to ongoing water infiltration, a problem that cannot be effectively remedied. Additionally, classrooms are about 150 square feet smaller than the current standards. The current building does not comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which would be costly to modify now.

They plan to minimize the financial impact on taxpayers by combining the referendum funding with existing SAVE funds. The total project budget of $59 million would benefit from $21 million of SAVE funds, which is a statewide sales tax that does not increase property taxes.

Benefits of a new building include lower maintenance energy costs, as well as an enhanced learning environment. The board believes this will help attract new students and teachers to the district, as well as retain those already there.

For additional information on this subject, please visit https://www.fairfieldsfuture.org/article/1728360

There are 5 more community forums regarding this matter.

The Iowa Department of Education today released new spring 2024 assessment results from the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) for students in grades 3-11. State-level results from the spring 2024 ISASP show student achievement reaching or exceeding pre-pandemic levels across most grade levels in both English language arts and mathematics.

Significant proficiency gaps remain among students with disabilities and students who are English language learners in both English language arts and mathematics. In English language arts, the overall results show modest long-term progress with some grades showing significant gains. In mathematics, the overall long-term results remain steady and do not show meaningful progress in most grade levels.

The standards were reviewed and revised by a team consisting of elementary and secondary educators, administrators and area education agency partners, representatives from institutions of higher education, community members including parents and industry, and content experts from the Iowa Department of Education. State law requires an ongoing review of Iowa’s academic standards, including public comment, to ensure content is current and aligns with best practices.

The spring 2023-24 ISASP state-level results, which include graphs and charts, can be found on the Iowa Department of Education website.

The September 10^th special election is tomorrow, and although there have been over 900 early voters, polls will be open all day on Tuesday.

On Thursday, June 6, the Henry County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution declaring Henry County Emergency Medical Services (HCEMS) as an essential county service. The next step is for county residents to vote at a special election on September 10 to approve a tax levy for EMS programming.

HCEMS is currently owned and operated by Henry County Soldiers’ & Sailors’ Memorial Hospital. Due to the current property tax cap for HCEMS under hospital ownership, the hospital cannot continue to offer HCEMS and cover the revenue shortfalls.

HCEMS currently provides  emergency medical services for Henry County residents 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These services include: emergency medical care, critical care transfers, medical transports, education and support to county first responders, public health education, and special event coverage.

A YES vote on September 10 means that EMS will stay in Henry County, continuing to serve the emergency healthcare needs of area residents. If the vote passes, the current $0.27 hospital ambulance levy will go away. A new county ambulance tax levy of $0.75 will instead be implemented, which is a $0.48 increase over the current hospital ambulance levy rate.

Precinct 1 Voting Location: Wayland City Hall 218 W. Main St. Including Jefferson Township, Trenton Township, Marion Township, Wayne Township resident living west of James Avenue; Cities of Wayland, Coppock, and Olds.

Precinct 2 Voting Location: Winfield City Hall 115 N. Locust St. Including Scott Township and Canaan Township; Wayne Township residents living east of James Avenue; City of Winfield

Precinct 3 Voting Location: Emergency Management 900 W. Washington St. Including Tippecanoe Township, Center Township, Salem Township: Cities of Rome, Westwood, Salem, and Hillsboro

Precinct 4 Voting Location: Veterans Hall 103 S. Jackson St. Including Mt. Pleasant Ward I

Precinct 5 Voting Location: Veterans Hall 103 S. Jackson St. Including Mt. Pleasant Ward II

Precinct 6 Voting Location: Veterans Hall 103 S. Jackson St. Including Mt. Pleasant Ward III

Precinct 7 Voting Location: Veterans Hall 103 S. Jackson St. Including Mt. Pleasant Ward IV

Precinct 8 Voting Location: New London Christian Church 2770 New London RdIncluding Jackson Township, Baltimore Township

Precinct 9 Voting Location: New London Community Center 103 W. Washington St. Including New London Township: City of New London

The polls are open from 7:00am-8:00pm.

On Friday, September 6^th, 2024, at 10:30pm, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, along with Olds Fire Department responded to a vehicle engulfed in flames in the 1800 grid of Highway 78 west of James Avenue/ Highway 218.

The occupants, Sergio Flores, 23, and Austin Mahan, 27, of Coralville escaped the vehicle without injury.  The vehicle, a 2006 BMW, was a total loss.  There was also damage to the pavement from the fire, estimated at $1,000.

The Iowa Department of Transportation was called to the scene for the damage to the highway.

“As fall approaches, many farmers are evaluating the timing of their manure application. Ideally, ammonium-rich manures are applied when temperatures are cooler (50 degrees Fahrenheit and cooling) to increase the probability that applied nitrogen will still be in the upper soil profile next year when crops are growing.

However, sometimes that’s not possible, and applications earlier in the fall may be necessary, according to Daniel Andersen, professor and extension agricultural engineering specialist at Iowa State University.

“Whether you’re dealing with foam in your manure pits or facing storage capacity concerns after a wet year, applying manure earlier than desired can be justified —especially from a safety standpoint,” he said. “Always keep safety as your top priority when dealing with early applications.

“Performing manure removal and agitation when the barn is empty allows you to aggressively agitate, ensuring that solids are thoroughly mixed and removed,” Andersen said. “It also protects animals and workers from unsafe air quality conditions.”

Foam in manure pits is more than an inconvenience, it’s a safety hazard. Foam can trap dangerous gases like methane, which significantly increases the risk of explosions.

“You need to take action when your pits foam and more than 6 inches of foam are present,” Andersen said. “An ideal time to manage the risk is between turns when your barn is empty, as it allows being more aggressive with your manure agitation, treatment and removal strategy.”

Agitate the manure thoroughly to break down the foam and release any trapped gases. Be sure to maintain high ventilation levels to exhaust the released methane as you do so and to turn off potential ignition sources.

“Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is one of the most dangerous gases associated with manure storage, and it can be lethal at high concentrations,” Andersen said. “This gas is produced when manure is agitated, especially after it has settled for long periods that allowed solids to accumulate and anaerobic conditions to intensify.”

When these layers of solids are disturbed during agitation, H₂S can be released in large quantities, posing a severe risk to both humans and livestock. The publication “Hydrogen Sulfide Safety – Manure Agitation (AE3604)” describes how to stay safe during manure agitation.

Andersen advises producers to consider using pit treatments that target foam reduction and potentially reset the microbial population in the pit. This can help prevent foam from becoming a recurring problem. For more details, see this information sheet from the Iowa Manure Management Action Group.”

The information in this article is provided by ISU Extension and Outreach. For additional reading on other subjects: https://www.extension.iastate.edu/news/